The "blower door"...some call it the "Red Door of Truth" because it doesn't lie and it's such a powerful tool in high-performance building design and construction. In this video, learn why airtightness is so essential and join airtightness expert Kevin Brennan and architect Michael Ingui onsite at NYC's Engine 16 Passive House retrofit as that project undergoes its first blower door test. Kevin walks us through the testing procedures, the importance of pressurizing and depressurizing the building during testing, and how to use a smoke stick to detect leaks during the test. What are the results of this project's first moment of truth? Will the building reach the stringent airtightness target of Passive House certification? Watch to find out.
Thank you to Lindsey Elton and Emily Rhea of Eco Achievers for first sharing the "Red Door of Truth" nickname for the blower door with us.